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THE DRY CREEK EXPLOSIVES
DEPOT.
AN OFFICIAL VISIT.
On Tuesday afternoon the president of the
Marine Board (Mr. Arthur Searcy), Wardens
Flicker, Vasey, Neill, and Campbell inspected the
Dry Creek explosives depot. They were conveyed
to the Broad Creek landing-stage in the motor
launch Warden. Broad Creek is an arm which
branches off the North Arm, and runs in the direc-
tion of Dry Creek township. At the landing-stage
the party were met by the magazine keeper (Mr.
G. Halsey, jun.). From the stage to the magazines
a tramway has recently been constructed. The
line is on the 2 ft. 6 in. gauge, but it admirably
serves the purpose for which it was laid. The
first magazine is situated 1¼ miles from the land-
ing stage. There are ten magazines. The tram-
line runs post the whole of them, and then on to
Dry Creek railway-station, which is about half-a
mile away. The erection of the landing stage and
the laying down of the tramline has greatly facili-
tated the transport of the explosives to the maga-
zines. Formerly explosives had to be conveyed
from the North Arm by road to the magazines, and
this was not only expensive, but dangerous. Six
specially constructed trucks are provided for the
transit purposes to the magazines; each will hold
1¼ tons. The trucks are drawn by horses. On one
of the trucks the party travelled to the magazines,
which were found in perfect order. Each magazine
is capable of storing 40 tons of explosives, but 20
tons is at present fixed as the maximum quantity
to be stored in them. Every precaution is taken
to guard against explosion, and printed regulations
.are exhibited on each of the magazine doors.
Mounds have been built between each magazine,
so that should one of the magazines explode no
injury will result to the others. The party were
quite satisfied that the present system for the hand-
ling and storage of explosives is superior in every
respect to the one formerly in use. The magazine
reserve, which consists of about 307 acres, is be-
ing improved, by the planting of tamarisk and
other trees. The present depot, with improvements
and the provision of landing and handling facili-
ties, entailed an expenditure of £6,000 or £7,000.
To protect an invention all over the
world it is necessary to take out 64 patents
in as many different countries, the esti-
mated cost of which is £500.
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